The Aquaintance
by Bandersnatch
Summary: The Imperials are alive and well deep within the Imperial remnant. What will happen when a group of Jedi are sent into their midst? Please R+R!
1. Part I

The Acquaintance  
  
By Bandersnatch  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own star wars and I am respectfully borrowing the concept. Eh-Ron, Karah, Loki, Ecresi and Mischeia are property of 13th Halo Moon Production Studios.  
  
The tension was tight around the small table where she sat with her friends, Loki McKolens and Mischeia, playing sabacc. Eh-Ron knew she could win this; she just had to be careful. Loki looked around; there was no give in any face to show what cards they might possess. Eh-Ron then laid down her hand while Mischeia and Loki followed in suit.  
  
"Idiot's array" Eh-Ron announced. Loki sighed and leaned over to Mischeia whispering loudly "At least she's got one part right". Eh-Ron gave her a look and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Beginner's luck" Loki said as she put the sabacc cards back in their red case and threw them towards Eh-Ron's desk, narrowly missing her lightsaber which was on a rack above it. Eh-Ron walked across her quarters to flop down on her sleep couch. "Guess the Force wasn't with you this time". Loki raised an eyebrow and sighed dramatically.  
  
There was silence for awhile, and Loki wandered around the room.(Or something like that, cause the next thing just comes out of the blue...)  
  
"I wonder if Karah Jinn would ever pick us as apprentices," Loki wondered as she walked toward the window "She just came back from a mission and the rumor is that she is looking to take on an apprentice."  
  
"I really don't care," Eh-Ron said wearily, picking up her data pad from the floor. She wasn't about to trust her fate as a Jedi to one person.  
  
"Well, there's still some hope" Loki said. She really wanted someone to take her on as an apprentice. She needed to learn from someone. While Eh- Ron had no problem with teaching herself from books, Loki knew there were disadvantages to this. Her thoughts where interrupted as a rap came from the entrance to Eh-Ron's quarters.  
  
"Enter," Eh-Ron said without glancing at the door. The door slid open with a hiss and Jedi Knight Karah Jinn appeared in the door. She had a smile on her usually serious face.  
  
"Initiate Kenobi, McKolens. Can I speak with you for a moment?" she asked.  
  
"Sure," said Loki. She could tell that master's smile betrayed a secret.  
  
"Well I know who is going to take you two on as apprentices" she said, her smile widening as Loki's face grew curious. That had caught her attention.  
  
"Who?" Loki asked.  
  
"Well," she paused, "I am". Loki stood in shock while Eh-Ron finally turned from her data pad to regard Karah for the first time since she had entered. Instead of happiness or shock Karah sensed something else there. But she couldn't be sure...  
  
Loki recovered sooner than Eh-Ron and turned to her with a grin, "Who's the Force with now?". (Even thought it doesn't say it, you *know* they must have bet some money on this...)  
  
"Pack your bags; we have to leave on a mission tomorrow. Master Luke assigned it to us." She then walked out the door, which closed with a hiss after her.  
  
"Lucky," muttered Mischeia as she walked out the door.  
  
"Not so, my friend, not so," Eh-Ron said almost inaudibly, starring out at the last rays of sunlight, the stars beginning to twinkle in the Lavender sky. She unconsciously found herself searching for Tatoo I and II, the suns of her home-planet. Loki watched her friend lose herself in her nightly ritual before beginning their age-old argument.  
  
"What is your problem, Eh-Ron?" she asked with an exasperated sigh.  
  
"You know where I stand on this subject," Eh-Ron said indifferently.  
  
"We'll finally be able to see the galaxy and use our powers to help bring justice!"  
  
"How can we trust her? We only know her by reputation. How can you be so willing to trust her?" Eh-Ron asked rising from the sleepcouch, an unusual fire burning in her eyes.  
  
"Ye a little faith," Loki chided, "I can feel that she can be trusted,".  
  
"I'm glad you can find trusting so easy but I cannot," Eh-Ron whispered. Loki then knew what was troubling her friend so.  
  
"Eh-Ron, that happened a long time ago. When are you going to get over it?" Eh-Ron stared at Loki; her reaction was if Loki had just slapped her. She slowly turned her gaze back to the stars.  
  
"Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer?"  
  
(Is this before or after Eh-Ron regains her memory!?)  
  
Chapter II  
  
"Again I must ask, why did we bring Mischeia along?" Eh-Ron asked with an exasperated sigh. Mischeia was getting on everyone's nerves. Karah strained to control her coreillan temper.  
  
"For one, Master Luke said she was to come along as a, learning experience and two..." she paused as she threw a glance a Mischeia, "Target Practice".  
  
"Hey, does anyone want to play a round of sabacc?" Mischeia asked. Karah turned and glared at Mischeia. Mischeia's eyes widened and she ran out of the cockpit. Karah turned and relaxed in her chair as everyone gave various approvals.  
  
"This is a standard mission," said Karah, "Make sure the negotiations go well and no one is assassinated. We'll come down to Bastion in about three standard days".  
  
The trip on the Coronet Knight continued through hyperspace with no mishaps. Only one thing, Mischeia slept the whole way! Karah thought it must be something in the water, Loki and Eh-Ron made sure a full glass was readily available for Mischeia at all times.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Loki watched as the Knight pulled out of hyperspace and the white tunnel faded to shards and the blackness of real space took over. But what she saw made her start, shaking her to her very core. There was an Interdictor, several Super Star Destroyers and three flights of TIE fighters sitting in front of Bastion.  
  
Damn, Loki thought. This mission wasn't off to a pleasant start.  
  
"Master! You'd better come see this, now!" she added for emphasis. Karah bolted into the helm with Eh-Ron and Mischeia not far behind.  
  
"Sithspawn!" Karah hissed as she looked out the view port but even as she did the radar beeped ominously as TIE's closed in. The Imperial remnant? No, it couldn't be, they wouldn't provoke the New Republic like this, and their lines didn't extend this far. Laser fire rocked the ship.  
  
"Mischeia, Loki get to the laser cannons. Yes, Eh-Ron I realize that your ship is in the hold, go power it up and get out there," said Karah. Mischeia, Eh-Ron and Loki turned and bolted out the door. Loki ran to the upper cannon. She picked up the headpiece and fired up the lasers. It boomed to life and Loki grabbed the handles.  
  
Mischeia swung hers upward and began firing at the TIE's that where screaming by. Letting the Force take hold she was blasting every ship that came her way. Two more TIES exploded as one crashed into its wing mate. A shadow fell over the ship and Loki looked up to see the white hull of an Interdictor cruiser.  
  
Eh-Ron slid down the ladder into the hold as Loki and Mischeia ran for the guns. She hit the release canopy for the E-Wing and swung herself in. She heard the canopy lock as she began to power up the ships twin sub- light engines. The repulsor lifts fired and she hit the throttle, blasting out of the hold. Eh-Ron pulled upwards so she could get a scope on the fight. There were two flights of TIEs left. She barrel-rolled into their midst, dialing down the inertial compensator and began firing.  
  
"Indigo, get a lock on the Interdictor's bridge," Eh-Ron Shouted. Indigo whistled in reply and began to get a lock. The E-Wing was suddenly jerked back wards, now caught in the tractor beam of the ship.  
  
Mischeia ran to the helm of the ship to find no one there.  
  
"What?" she wondered aloud. Mischeia began to walk down the hall but as she reached the center she was grabbed from behind and pulled downward. Mischeia landed with a thud on the floor and heard metal slide in place overhead. Karah put a finger to her lips and pointed upwards. At that very moment they heard someone walking overhead and talking.  
  
"There should be someone here! An unmanned ship can't destroy three flights of TIE's! I want a scanner brought in her to check for life forms," said a woman's voice.  
  
"Yes Ma'am," came a man's reply. The Jedi heard him walk away but the woman didn't move.  
  
"I know your here scum," she whispered to herself and then they heard her footsteps fade away as she left the ship. Karah breathed then, unaware that she had been holding her breath this whole time. She looked to Mischeia and nodded. They reached up and lifted the section of metal that was the door to a secret compartment. Another section lifted down the hallway, they saw Loki's head appeared. Then they heard boots click and the woman came around the corner with a blaster in hand. Karah reached for her saber, brought it up and ignited it in one swift movement. Everyone else did the same the same.  
  
"A pack of Jedi have we? Well, I hope you enjoy your stay" she said, her voice ice. She turned on her heels and walked out of our sight, only to be replaced by a series of storm troopers, all the sabers then went out.  
  
"What..." Mischeia said in amazement.  
  
"Power drain," said Karah. They weren't going to be going anywhere now. The troopers held out what looked like a blaster but its actual use was to drain power from weapons at a close range. The troopers moved in and took the Jedi's weapons.  
  
"Move out," he commanded and with rifles pressed to the Jedi's backs they were lead out into the hanger. Karah saw Eh-Ron's ship located across the hanger. A group of storm troopers stood around it, a brown form was on the floor in front of them. One of the stormtroopers raised a leather whip, about to whip the young women.  
  
"Stop!" said the woman. The stormtrooper stopped in mid-motion at her command. She walked over and grabbed Eh-Ron by her ponytail, hauling her off the floor.  
  
"I promised I'd deal with you," She seethed at Eh-Ron.  
  
What did you do to her? asked Loki.  
  
I backhanded her Eh-Ron said in an offhand manner.  
  
"Scum like you is unfit to walk this ship's deck!" Ecresi yelled.  
  
"You son of a-" Eh-Ron bit her tongue as she received a venomous glare from Karah. "Well I'm not too fond of you either Ecresi," Eh-Ron said sarcastically.  
  
"You seem quite familiar scum, I recognize that sass," she murmured. "From when I was on Tatooine, the wasteland". She stared and her eyes widened, "Eh-Ron!" she yelled in triumph, "Scum is a compliment for you. How could a low slicer like you reach the rank of Jedi?" Karah gave Eh-Ron a look of surprise and then glanced at Ecresi, confused. An Imperial Admiral knew Eh-Ron? Eh-Ron had been something of a criminal on Tatooine but not enough of one to get notice higher than the local police.  
  
"Well, obviously not by back stabbing my way there like you did as I remember," Eh-Ron said with an edge in her voice.  
  
"Looking for filth is my specialty," Ecresi said coldly.  
  
Checked in the mirror lately? Thought Mischeia to Loki. Loki rolled her eyes in response.  
  
"Looks like you failed to find any," Eh-Ron hissed at Ecresi.  
  
"We'll just interrogate you first, and it will be my pleasure, we'll make sure it's memorable," then leaning closer she whispered, "If you thought the first torture I administered to you was bad you had better think again,". Eh-Ron's head snapped up, now under own power and spat in Ecresi's face. Ecresi took her blaster from its holster, throwing Eh-Ron back against a TIE. She aimed and Eh-Ron crumpled to the floor. Loki and Karah exchanged glances.  
  
Well this is going to be fun, thought Loki.  
  
Chap. 4  
  
Loki, Mischeia and Karah sat on the cold floor of the cell with more than enough storm troopers outside. Eh-Ron was still not back from interrogation; it had already been too long for a normal session. What worried Karah the most was that she could only faintly feel Eh-Ron's presence through the Force. Loki and Mischeia showed their nervousness even more than Karah thought they wished to. As far as she knew they hadn't been through any sort of interrogation before, or any had any training with the drugs they used to get what they wanted out of you. Karah shivered at the thought, even the bravest Jedi knew interrogation was no pleasant ordeal. They lifted their heads as yet another scream was heard from down the hallway.  
  
How could she know that admiral? Loki thought to herself. She had obviously known her well enough to insult her. The thought of her being dragged down the hall after being stunned was not going to be a fond memory.  
  
The door hissed open and storm troopers came in and put electro-cuffs on their wrists. Karah, Loki and Mischeia were filed out and lead down the hallway. The screams grew louder as they came closer to the interrogation room. The door slid open and they saw Eh-Ron's limp form hanging from the interrogation table.  
  
Eh-Ron lifted her head as her nerves quieted down enough to think. She saw Master Karah, Loki and Mischeia being led into the room. Eh-Ron's head lolled back to where it was, how she raised it she could only imagine. Again the pain raced through her nerves in the form of coldness. Eh-Ron screamed helplessly, no meditation could block this out. As the coldness left she saw Mischeia and Loki wince. Eh-Ron had only felt the pain of this machine under the direction of Ecresi once before, but had been lucky to escape. Ecresi had kept her promise; she had psychologically tortured her instead of physically.  
  
The restraints that held Eh-Ron let go and she fell into a lifeless heap to the floor. Loki reached out to her friend but found no response. Admiral Ecresi Mourtier then walked in, the red uniform of admiral showing brightly against the white and grays of the room.  
  
Eh-Ron! Are you all right? Asked Karah through telepathy. Eh-Ron was too weak to even move her head, much less give a reply. She groaned loudly as she received a sharp kick in the stomach and rolled over onto her back from the force of it. Eh-Ron looked up to see Ecresi's icy stare.  
  
"Well Eh-Ron, we happen to have something you want. Very badly I think," She sneered as she lifted up a data card.  
  
"Your history is on this data card. You could tell us what you know, or we could hook you back up to the interrogator" she hissed.  
  
"I know you want this, just tell me what you know" she said, holding the data card out.  
  
Eh-Ron knew she was lying. The old databanks with that information had been burned recently. She received another kick from Ecresi and cried out again.  
  
Eh-Ron! Hold on! Pleaded Karah.  
  
"Admiral-" she began.  
  
"NO, stop don't tell that b---h any-" Eh-Ron stopped as a blaster was pressed to her skull.  
  
"Insult me again Eh-Ron and I'll throw you to the sarlacc!" Ecresi yelled in a rage. Eh-Ron could feel her quivering with anger.  
  
"Send those three back to the cell," she said motioning to Loki, Mischeia, and Eh-Ron, "Interrogate this one-"she said pointing to Karah.  
  
Ecresi then walked over to Eh-Ron and injected her with a soporific drug. Eh-Ron struggled to keep consciousness and then fell into a dreamless sleep. Two stormtroopers came and began to pull Mischeia and Loki away. Loki resisted, looking back towards Karah.  
  
"Go," said Karah quietly. Loki gave a short nod and allowed herself to be led away. Meanwhile a stormtrooper was taking Eh-Ron out the door.  
  
"Can we go home now?" Mischeia asked darkly as they continued down the hallway.  
  
"Mischeia, if you don't shut up the Imperials won't have to go through the trouble of killing you!" Loki said to Mischeia through clenched teeth. Mischeia rolled her eyes to the ceiling wondering just what she had gotten herself into.  
  
Chapter IV  
  
Eh-Ron moaned slightly, waking from the drug-induced sleep. She tried to pull herself up but only succeeded in twitching her back muscles. She looked up to see the worried eyes of Mischeia and Loki.  
  
"Master Karah hasn't regained conciseness yet, she was just brought back from the interrogation," Loki said quietly. At that very moment they heard moan and curse from further into the darkness.  
  
"That was definitely NOT a pleasant experience," moaned Karah. They then heard a scraping as Karah hit the floor after unsuccessfully trying to stand.  
  
"Great, it had stun elements in it," muttered Karah. How could they escape if two of them were not even capable of standing?  
  
At that moment Eh-Ron felt a presence, not evil but, familiar. She looked up to see a man. He leaned down to whisper; "You are a Kenobi, dear sister". Then he kneeled and said "Tell them what they want to know, Imperial," he said with a wink. He then faded away and she was left feeling stunned.  
  
"Eh-Ron? Hello... Eh-Ron?" said Loki. Mischeia gave Eh-Ron a kick in the side, provoking a curse. It looked like she had gone into some sort of trance.  
  
Imperial? Eh-Ron thought. He insulted me why that- Wait Imperial? That's it! The only way to escape death...  
  
"Don't speak to me that way Jedi," she snapped at Loki. Karah sat up with a start. She couldn't have heard that.  
  
"Eh-Ron?" she started feeling more than a bit worried.  
  
"You left me in that interrogation to die! What type of Master lets her apprentice die a painful death?!" Eh-Ron yelled. Karah stopped for a moment to get her Coreillan temper under control.  
  
"Eh-Ron, think of what-" she started.  
  
"Maybe the dark side is a better choice than the Jedi scum," she sneered.  
  
"Eh-Ron, what's the matter? Your safe now," assured Loki. But she could tell it was more than that, Eh-Ron wasn't acting. And if she was it was too good to tell.  
  
"You left me to die! What type of friend leaves a friend to die? You had no thoughts at all to try and come rescue me? How lovely. Three pitiful excuses for what you call justice. You really are the scum you're called" she taunted. Loki stood up momentarily losing control of her temper. She reached for Eh-Ron and grabbed her by her tunic but she was thrown back by a Force push. She slammed into the wall and fell to the floor of the cell. She couldn't possibly be acting; there was far too much hate...  
  
"Do not touch me filth," Eh-Ron snapped.  
  
"Know you can never replay your decision," said Master Karah in a voice that did not seem to allow defiance.  
  
"I don't need you to tell me that Jedi," Eh-Ron mocked. Eh-Ron pulled herself further in the darkness and than said quietly to herself, "Time to speak to Ecresi". 


	2. Part II

Eh-Ron sat in a chair before a small table, waiting for the admiral. Her eyes were underlined with black and her hair was disheveled. A night of sleeplessness and pain had not done much to improve Eh-Ron's bearing on the situation.  
  
How could they have broken her? She was so strong willed, Karah thought. But, Eh-Ron had gone over to the dark side, she could feel it. She couldn't be acting. Ecresi entered the room and looked around. Her eyes settled on Eh-Ron, "Well, you wish to join the Imperials, Jedi," she asked.  
  
"Do not use that insult to refer to me," sneered Eh-Ron giving Ecresi a cold look.  
  
"You'll just have to tell me everything you know about the New Republics military," said Ecresi.  
  
"I'd be pleased to. But first I'd execute these Jedi. If they escaped they would only cause trouble," said Eh-Ron throwing a venomous glare at the trio of Jedi. Loki's was shocked. She had had a hope that Eh-Ron was acting, just a faint glimmer but that hope had been shattered.  
  
"Eh-Ron, please, the dark side isn't the way, I know," tried Karah. Eh-Ron looked over at the Jedi and then stared, bringing up her hand and tightening it. Suddenly Karah's vision blacked around the edges and she fell to the floor unconscious. Loki stared at Eh-Ron and then looked away. She bit back the urge to yell at Eh-Ron, she could feel the darkness radiating from her.  
  
"Take them away," said Ecresi. A guard of stormtroopers came in and marched them out and unceremoniously dragged Karah along. As Loki passed she whispered in Eh-Ron's ear, "Traitor," and continued walking.  
  
"What did you do to the Jedi?" asked Ecresi.  
  
"Pinched off an artery in the brain, though she won't be unconscious for long," Eh-Ron said with a sneer.  
  
"Where is the Jedi Temple located?" began Ecresi.  
  
"On Dantooine," Eh-Ron responded.  
  
"How many Jedi are there?" she asked.  
  
"Approximately one hundred," Eh-Ron answered.  
  
"What do you know about the Rebellions government?" Ecresi questioned with interest.  
  
"Close to nothing,"  
  
"Then I have no further use for you for the time being," said Ecresi, "Will you attend the execution?"  
  
"With pleasure," Eh-Ron said with a cold smile.  
  
"How could she possibly do this!?" asked Loki. She was pacing the floor back and forth in front of Mischeia and Karah. She was angry, unusual for her. She just couldn't except that Eh-Ron could have fallen to the dark side.  
  
"Do you have any idea what it's like to be interrogated?" asked Karah.  
  
"No," Loki admitted. Karah sighed. How could Loki understand? Karah was certain that Eh-Ron wasn't coming back. She had already accepted that.  
  
"It's like every nerve in your entire body is on fire. Its perfect pain," Karah explained, "Even some of the best Jedi have fallen to interrogation or other forms of breaking. You really can't blame Eh-Ron. She probably isn't in her right mind".  
  
"Has she ever been?" asked Mischeia. Glares followed shortly.  
  
"But she was interrogated before. She survived it then," Loki argued. She wasn't giving up on Eh-Ron yet.  
  
"She was?" Karah asked. Loki bit her lip, the secret having slipped. She found the floor to become extremely interesting.  
  
"Isn't there anyway we could bring her back?" asked Loki, desperately trying to change the subject.  
  
"Nothing short of brain washing her would work," replied Karah quietly.  
  
"Then she's gone".  
  
Loki watched from across the cell as Eh-Ron entered with the Admiral and a handful of stormtroopers. The Admiral motioned toward Loki and they grabbed her by the shoulders roughly.  
  
"Eh-Ron, I want you to probe this young Jedi's mind. She isn't as strong as her Master," said Ecresi.  
  
Eh-Ron looked at the admiral rather stunned, shrugged and moved towards Loki.  
  
Don't you dare! Thought Loki to Eh-Ron.  
  
"Deal with it," she snarled. She raised her hands and placed one on either side of Loki's forehead. She felt many emotions.  
  
"I want you to find out what she knows about the government," the admiral prompted.  
  
Eh-Ron's brow furrowed in frustration as Loki's eyes narrowed in anger. Eh- Ron's eyes flashed open and she was slammed against the wall of the cell with such force that a dent was left in the durasteel. Loki stepped back astonished.  
  
"I didn't do it," she whispered and still moving towards Karah and Mischeia. Karah half stepped forward and than stopped. She could sense that Eh-Ron had been mentally wounded, that could be fatal. What did Loki do?  
  
The Admiral stood staring for a moment and than turned to the stormtroopers, "Take her away. I'll deal with you later," she snapped pointing at Loki. She then turned and left with the stormtroopers.  
  
"Loki, what did you do?" asked Karah.  
  
"I... I don't know," she stammered.  
  
How could she have done that? She had telekinetic powers but nowhere near that powerful.  
  
"You mentally wounded her," said Karah bluntly.  
  
"Does it really matter?" asked Loki. Eh-Ron wasn't a Jedi anymore, why should they care about her?  
  
"If you did it out of hate it does," Karah replied instantly.  
  
"It wasn't, not really anyway," said Loki quietly.  
  
"You need to learn to take control of your emotions," advised Karah. Loki couldn't just let impulses of anger out, especially if that was the result.  
  
"If we get out," said Loki.  
  
"We will," Karah said steadfastly. The door to their cell then opened revealing two stormtroopers. One came and grabbed Loki roughly shoving her out the door. They then turned down the hallway; Loki saw the door leading to the Interrogation room. A simple, plain, metal door that stood in for the gates of h--l. 


	3. Part III

Loki felt cold fear rising from deep inside her self as she was strapped to the interrogation table and injected with one of the many drugs used by the Imperials.  
  
If Eh-Ron had cracked under interrogation, what chance did she have? Though she hated to admit it, Eh-Ron had higher pain tolerance than her.  
  
She knew she would never consciously betray the Jedi Order. It was what she would say when she was unconscious from the pain that worried her.  
  
What the hell have I done to deserve this? Loki thought, Is this what happens when you piss off your best friend one to many times?  
  
She thought aloud, feeling the drug beginning to set in, I promise never to again. Though it looks like it won't be the same friend...  
  
Loki felt a burning sensation on the base of her neck, going under her skin...  
  
And so it begins...  
  
***********************************************************  
  
Eh-Ron sat at a table, surrounded by other imperial officers as they discussed plans for some evil scheme or another. It was something she should probably be listening to, but something, aside from the intense pain she was experiencing from her earlier incident with Loki, kept her from focusing on the task at hand. The infirmary was uneasy about letting her out so soon, but Ecresi had insisted on it.  
  
A scream resounded down the hallway, reaching the room they were in. Eh-Ron could hear Loki's thoughts, and they were full of rage. Anger she held against Eh-Ron.  
  
"And that would be one of the Jedi you denoted to earlier?" one of the officers asked.  
  
"Yes. I believe that scream is the one of Loki McKolens." Ecresi said, "She's the one who sent our new friend here flying into a durasteel wall."  
  
The imperial acknowledged Eh-Ron with a nod and then continued talking about what they were planning for the Praxeum.  
  
"What do you think, Kenobi?"  
  
"Sounds a bit ineffectual to me," Eh-Ron said resignedly.  
  
"You seem a bit bored Kenobi. Perhaps you wish a different assignment?" Ecresi asked, "Preferably in the brig."  
  
"I would take any chance I can get to hurt the Jedi." Eh-Ron said, "But leaving the Jedi alive worries me. They should not be underestimated."  
  
"Well then. I should tell the people down in the Interrogation room not to kill McKolens afterwards." Ecresi said with a laugh as another blood curdling scream echoed down the hallway.  
  
Eh-Ron and the others laughed. Eh-Ron had to force the smile onto her face though.  
  
Hey Eh-Ron, how does it feel to know you condemned your best friend to death?  
  
  
  
***********************************************************  
  
The searing blade was nearing her face, and Loki looked at it, trying to accept what was inevitably going to happen. She wasn't sure how long she had been there. It seemed much longer than it had probably been.  
  
"...why not just give up Jedi? Much longer and we might accidentally kill you..."  
  
Loki turned her head as far as she could. Seems that someone had been talking to her for the past few minutes. What was the use of listening?  
  
Another drop of blood dripped off her nose and onto her tunic, some wound from an earlier torture. She must have fainted through that.  
  
The searing blade was getting closer and closer to her and Loki could see it through a slight haze.  
  
"Okay, okay," Loki muttered softly, in a defeated voice, "I'll tell you what you want to know".  
  
"Finally thinking rationally again, Jedi?"  
  
Loki nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek.  
  
***********************************************************  
  
Loki was tossed into the cell and decided it unwise to try and move for a little while.  
  
"Loki?" Mischeia asked, rushing over to her.  
  
Karah came over, looking down at her fallen apprentice. She could tell that they had gotten to her apprentice somehow.  
  
"Loki, can you hear me?"  
  
Karah could tell that they had gotten to her during the interrogation.  
  
"Only in my right ear," Loki mumbled, raising her hand to her left ear, and coming back with blood.  
  
"Did you tell them anything?" asked Mischeia.  
  
"Yes," Loki whispered an admission.  
  
"Loki?" Karah asked, waiting for an answer.  
  
She didn't reply, only diverted her eyes shamefully.  
  
"Loki, what did you tell them?" Karah asked more forcefully.  
  
"I told them the entire layout."  
  
"Oh, Loki," Karah said sorrowfully,"I know how hard Imperial torture can be on the mind..."  
  
"Of the New Republic Jedi Academy on Corusaunt," Loki added with an attempted smile that turned into a wince of pain. 


	4. Part IV

*Many thanks to Prince Luke Skywalker, cdob, zz15121, and Mesa Jar Jar Binks for reviewing!  
  
  
  
Eh-Ron stood in a black imperial uniform and a black cloak, watching, as the trio of Jedi was led into the shooting gallery. They were blindfolded and had no idea where they might be.  
  
Karah reached out with the Force and tried to sense where they were. She immediately sensed Eh-Ron there; she knew they were at the shooting gallery, or wherever they were to be executed.  
  
Eh-Ron looked on as the Jedi were lined up along the wall. She could sense fear from Loki and Mischeia but only calm from Karah. Eh-Ron felt a flash of pain and quickly reached to a small electrical instrument on her neck. She pressed down and the pain subsided as a pain killer was released into her blood stream. Loki had done more damage to her than they had thought; though she supposed it would wear off in time. Eh-Ron turned her head as Ecresi entered the room.  
  
"I have a surprise for the new imperial," she said, throwing Eh-Ron a glare. She could see under the calm that the girl was slightly nervous, probably at the fact that the Jedi might try to kill her at the last possible moment. She had seen what the young Jedi could do and probably feared her Master's wrath.  
  
"Eh-Ron, you are to take your Jedi weapon and behead these, as you put it, 'Troublesome Jedi'".  
  
Eh-Ron unclipped her lightsaber and walked towards the Jedi.  
  
"Um... Can I join the Imperials also?" asked Mischeia.  
  
"You wouldn't want to," sneered Eh-Ron.  
  
"And why is that?" asked Loki coldly. She was sick of Eh-Ron's taunts.  
  
"Because you have to be one hell of an actor to get away with it," she said with a smile. Eh-Ron raised her hand and the blindfolds lifted from the Jedi's faces and their shackles dropped to the ground.  
  
"We have a spy on our hands," said the Admiral. From beneath her black cloak Eh-Ron took three lightsabers and threw them towards Loki, Karah and Mischeia. Karah caught hers to her hand and ignited it. The green blade hummed to life and she immediately began deflecting a volley of shots aimed at them. Loki also caught her lightsaber and began helping deflect the shots while Mischeia scrambled to get hers.  
  
The Jedi easily got rid of their opponents, only the admiral remained.  
  
"You have only one problem," said the Admiral with an evil laugh.  
  
"You mean the thermal detonator I disconnected?" asked Loki with a smile.  
  
The Admiral's jaw dropped open but she soon recovered her composure. Ecresi then reached to her gun belt.  
  
"What?" said the Admiral stunned. Loki held out a hand with a pair of blasters in it.  
  
"Looking for these?" asked Loki.  
  
"You'll never find out who your kin are..."said Ecresi. The young Jedi would have to help her now.  
  
"I already know," she answered with a smile.  
  
"How could you?" asked Ecresi mockingly.  
  
"I have my ways," she answered. Karah walked forward with lightsaber in hand.  
  
"You should come this way Admiral," she said, guiding the Admiral to a nearby closet.  
  
"Eh-Ron? Would you do the honors?" asked Karah.  
  
"Happily," said Eh-Ron moving towards the door. She took out her data pad and a small cable and began to slice into the computers systems. A minute later she unhooked the cable and stuck it back in a pocket.  
  
"Not even the Emperor himself could break into that closet," Eh-Ron said with a hint of pleasure.  
  
"Now would you care to tell me what you think you were doing!" yelled Karah.  
  
"You mean impersonating an Imperial officer, being stunned, shot and interrogated, breaking into the Imperial Armory to get your sabers and than planting the idea to let me execute you in Ecresi's head? All in a day's work." she replied. Karah continued to glare at her apprentice.  
  
"I'm guessing that was not what you wanted to hear,"  
  
"You're insane! You were almost killed, we could have been killed, and you could have cost us the academy-".  
  
"Pause. In case you didn't know, the Rogue squadron is visiting Yavin and Talon Karrde happens to have his small armada there while he talks to Master Luke" Eh-Ron responded obediently.  
  
"You could have still gotten us all killed! What kind of nerf would do a thing like that? You're already wounded badly! You are-"  
  
"Um, sorry to interrupt but we'd better get moving, now. Sorry about that Eh-Ron," Loki said tapping her head.  
  
"It wasn't your fault,"  
  
"You're still not out of this, not by a long shot," said Karah. She had several weeks of kitchen duty in mind for Eh-Ron, at the least. The Jedi entered the corridor outside the shooting gallery and turned to their left.  
  
"We seem to have a small problem," said Mischeia with sarcasm in her voice. Outside the gallery stood ten ranks of stormtroopers.  
  
"Small? We forgot to take her commlink, didn't we," Karah said dryly.  
  
"Yup," replied Loki, "Eh-Ron? How did you get to the Imperial Armory?"  
  
"Through the ventilation..." she started, breaking off. Loki looked up at the vent and it rose up, clattering inside the shaft.  
  
"Put your hands up," said the Captain of the stormtroopers.  
  
"Yeah right," Loki murmured. She jumped into the shaft and Eh-Ron slammed the grill back in place.  
  
"I really hope you still have those maps," said Mischeia.  
  
"Of course I do. We go towards the outer left quadrant," Eh-Ron said pointing to the left.  
  
"This is insane," muttered Mischeia.  
  
"Shut up!" 


	5. Part V

"We're almost there," announced Eh-Ron, "We're just an eighth of a klick away," I hope she thought, careful to keep that thought to herself. The four Jedi had been traveling for some time.  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Mischeia. She had a feeling they were lost.  
  
"I am as sure as I'll ever be," she said.  
  
Eh-Ron came to a hatch and crouched over it. She lifted the grate carefully and stuck her head out. Loki could see the hanger at the end of the hallway.  
  
"The hanger is just down this hall, about fifteen feet. We could try to make a run for the ship," Eh-Ron reported.  
  
"We'll go down the corridor and then see what we encounter. I don't think this will be as easy as you put it," said Karah. The Admiral had to have called for stormtroopers to surround their ship by now.  
  
The Jedi dropped to the hallway without a sound. Loki went to the end of the corridor and peered around the corner.  
  
"There's about twenty stormtroopers around your ship Master," Loki said quietly.  
  
"That's not good, we need a distraction," Karah said while studying her ship carefully.  
  
"I have an idea," said Eh-Ron, "But whoever is going to have to do it is not going to be a happy Jawa. I'll volunteer,"  
  
"What is it?" asked Loki.  
  
"Be back in a minute," said Eh-Ron with a grimace. She slipped around the corner and disappeared.  
  
"What is she doing?" hissed Karah. Her apprentice was in enough trouble as it is. Karah looked around the corner and saw Eh-Ron heading for a cradle of TIEs. Eh-Ron went underneath and began to hook something to the bottom of the middle TIE. Loki's eyes widened as she realized what her friend was about to do.  
  
"We are going this way!" Loki said running down the hallway, away from the hanger.  
  
'What is she doing?" asked Karah as she followed her apprentice.  
  
"What she just did to that TIE is going to make one big distraction," said Loki, still running.  
  
"What did she do, hook a thermal detonator to it?" asked Karah sarcastically. Loki paused.  
  
"Ummm..."  
  
"Run faster please, run faster!" yelled Karah. Eh-Ron finally appeared around the corner running so fast that it looked like she had a, well, thermal detonator about to explode behind her. Eh-Ron checked her chrono. Five seconds.... She kept running picking up speed. There was a huge roar behind them and the Jedi were knocked off their feet as the wind from the explosion hit them. Loki, Karah and Mischeia, being the farthest away were knocked down. Eh-Ron being near the beginning of it was picked up and town forward landing well beyond the other Jedi.  
  
"My ship!" Karah yelled. Loki looked back at the hanger, hoping that she wouldn't see a pile of rubble.  
  
"You'll be pleased to know that I turned on your shields before I set that off," Eh-Ron said as she picked herself of the floor and began walking back.  
  
"You are very lucky," said Karah through clenched teeth  
  
"Where'd you get the detonator?" asked Loki.  
  
"In the Imperial Armory," said Eh-Ron.  
  
"You stole it?" asked Mischeia.  
  
"I only temporarily borrowed it for a little while, just returned it moments ago," Eh-Ron said with a grin.  
  
"Come on, let's get out of here before more stormtroopers show up," said Karah wearily.  
  
Karah, Loki, Eh-Ron, and Mischeia ran silently toward the Coronet Knight. Karah ran up the entry ramp and onto the helm and began takeoff preparation procedures while Eh-Ron got the hyperspace coordinates from the nav computer.  
  
"I have the hyperspace coordinates," announced Loki.  
  
"Then lets get out of here," said Karah. She fired the repulsor lifts and the landing gear retracted. The Knight sped out of the hanger and toward deep space.  
  
"We need to jump now! The interdictor is powering up!" yelled Loki. They had to get out before the Imperials could start the gravity well.  
  
"All right, strap in. We are jumping... now," said Karah.  
  
The stars began to turn to a tunnel of light and the Knight jumped into hyperspace just as the gravity well was projected.  
  
"That was way too close," said Eh-Ron from the nav computer. She turned to see Karah staring at her and sat back in her chair, locking eyes with the Jedi Master.  
  
"Would you please explain what you think you were doing back there?" asked Karah quietly.  
  
"I'm going to go find-" tried Loki. She wasn't going to sit through a lecture.  
  
"No, you can learn from her mistakes as well," said Karah, glancing at Loki. Loki suppressed a sigh and began tuning out.  
  
"Did you have a plan?" Eh-Ron asked with a placid stare. Karah hesitated.  
  
"Not a word. We are going to discuss this in detail with Master Luke when we get back,"  
  
***Attention all readers, I'm going to need some reviews in order to publish the final chapter which explains a whole lot that you defiantly want to know. Blackmail, you say? Ransom, you say? Of course it is! If all goes well the last chapter should be up in several days. Thanx for reading, Bandersnatch. *** 


	6. Part VI

***Just wanted to say thanx to everyone for reading and reviewing. /cough\ There will be another story coming out soon, possibly under a different author. Its title will be either Shadows of the Past. You should defiantly read this, their a lot better than mine and it goes into Kara Jinn's background. It should come out around the ninth or so. We'll move out from there with Loki and Eh-Ron's backgrounds which are interesting to say the least (Major understatement). I'll shut up now and let you read. ***  
  
  
  
Eh-Ron sat in front of a small computer wondering what she was going to do. Obviously they wouldn't believe her if she told them that she was a Kenobi, and now that they were going back to Yavin, she couldn't use the resources the libraries at Bastion offered. She flicked the switch on the computer and typed "Old Republic" into the request screen. A list of options came up, old address listings, republic leaders, and, third on the list, citizenship records. Eh-Ron clicked on it and the program brought up a request slot for a name. Finding her citizenship profile was probably the only way to prove she was a Kenobi.  
  
She typed in Eh-Ron Kenobi and pressed search. The screen went blank and then brought up a single file. Eh-Ron clicked on it and brought up the following:  
  
Name: Eh-Ron Kenobi  
  
Status: Jedi Student  
  
Residence: Jedi Temple*  
  
Retinal Scan  
  
DNA Scan  
  
Dental Scan  
  
Voice print  
  
Finger Prints  
  
Foot Prints  
  
Physical record  
  
*Put in cryogenic stasis as a subject of the New Order Project. Location undisclosed.  
  
Eh-Ron stared at the screen in silence. So she had been a Jedi student... And had been supposedly killed in action... So what had happened? Why had she been killed in action?  
  
"Well, that's a start," thought Eh-Ron. She then heard footsteps in the corridor and started to exit the program. But before she could leave her profile the door hissed open. Eh-Ron didn't look back, just stared straight ahead. Karah walked to the computer and read the short profile.  
  
"What is this?" she asked.  
  
"My old citizenship profile," she said. Karah stared at the back of her students head wondering what she was trying to pull.  
  
"This is from the Old Republic, it can't be yours," Karah said.  
  
"The DNA code matches," Eh-Ron said with a shrug. Karah opened the links and saw that all of them matched without a flaw. She went back to the profile and scrolled down.  
  
"Cryogenically frozen? What's the New Order?" asked Karah.  
  
"That's what I'd like to know. I don't remember anything," She said while closing her eyes in frustration. She searched her memory, trying to find something, anything.  
  
"Nothing?" asked Karah.  
  
"I remember waking up in the cave on Tatooine. That's when I met Ecresi," Eh-Ron paused and her face hardened, "She was my friend. Some friend, she stabbed me in the back. I vowed never to trust another soul from that day forward,"  
  
"What did she do?"  
  
"I was wanted by several bounty hunters, I don't know why. She handed me over to them so they could torture me for some codes tot his vault on Corusaunt and about a Caloth or Colath or something,"  
  
Karah laid a comforting hand on her apprentices shoulder. Eh-Ron winced at her Master's touch. Karah pulled her hand back. Flipping it over she saw that blood covered her palm.  
  
"You're hurt," Karah said, matter-of-factly.  
  
"Takes dedication to the Force to figure that one out," Eh-Ron said sarcastically.  
  
"I don't care if you think that you don't need a Master to train you but I will not tolerate you disrespecting me," Karah said, her voice rising, "The other Masters wouldn't accept you for training because of that. I was the only one willing to train you. You have a lot of potential. Don't throw away the chance I'm giving you," Then, her tone growing soft, "Take off your robe, I'm going to have to clean out those cuts,". Eh-Ron slid off her robe and let it fall. Karah gathered bacta, gauze, and a short knife. When she turned back to Eh-Ron she stared at the tunic that covered her back, it was soaked with blood and was torn to ribbons.  
  
"Force... Do you want something to deaden the pain?" asked Karah.  
  
"No,"  
  
The Master sighed and resigned herself to the task. Karah cut the tunic from the young Jedi's back; it was covered with angry red welts, green from infection and began to clean out the cuts. Due to the infection, Karah had to cut out the flesh that was beginning to heal. Eh-Ron winced every now and then but otherwise remained silent. Ten minutes later the wounds were cleaned; with fresh bacta and gauze on them.  
  
"Thank you," said Eh-Ron in a whisper, "You're wrong though. I know I need a Master to train me,"  
  
Karah resisted the urge to ask what it was that kept her distant but instead turned and walked out, heading towards the cockpit. She saw Loki in the copilot's chair, staring off into space, looking troubled.  
  
"So what's the matter with you?" Karah asked as she fell back into the pilot's chair.  
  
"I've... I've never felt pain like that, when they interrogated us," she said quietly.  
  
"I can tell you one thing that's for sure, you'll never get used to it," Karah said with a sigh.  
  
"I wish I could never have to remember such terrible things,"  
  
"There's worse, hopefully things that you'll never have to experience within your lifetime,"  
  
"What about Eh-Ron?" Loki asked.  
  
"I'm not sure at all, she may have already seen worse than you or I or anyone," Karah replied," I just don't know. And neither does she." Loki opened her mouth as if to say something but then closed it, returning to stare out at space.  
  
"Where are we going to next?" she asked.  
  
"Back to Yavin. Master Skywalker received word the elections were a hoax," Karah said.  
  
"I hope we get some time off after this one," Loki said with a laugh.  
  
"You have no idea," 


End file.
